Automotive vehicles typically employ a steering shaft between the steering column and steering gear for the purpose of transmitting rotational motion of the steering wheel to the steering gear. The steering shaft is often interfaced with a steering shaft bearing assembly for providing support for the steering shaft as it rotates.
One previously developed steering shaft bearing assembly is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,391, issued to Groat (hereinafter “Groat”). Although somewhat effective at its intended purpose, the steering shaft bearing assembly is not without its problems. For instance, referring to FIGS. 4 and 5 of Groat, the steering shaft bearing assembly 6 includes a large number of separable parts which make installation and removal a laborious process. Moreover, the steering shaft bearing assembly 6 includes a first mounting bracket 56, a second mounting bracket 60, a flexible member 40, a drive shaft seal 22, rollers 30, a cage 36, and an outer race 32. All of these parts must be correctly aligned relative to one another and secured in place. Further, the outer surface of the flexible member is restrained or positionally stabilized from movement relative to the vehicle. This is done by the mounting brackets 56 and 60 which engage substantially all of the outer surface of the flexible member 40, keeping the outer surface of the flexible member from moving. Supporting the outer surface of the flexible member 40, although necessary for the invention of Groat, adds cost and complexity to the steering shaft bearing assembly 6 and hinders the ability of the flexible member 40 to accommodate movement of the steering shaft 10. Thus, there exists a need for a steering shaft bearing assembly that has fewer parts, is easy to install and remove, that is better able to accommodate movement of the shaft, and/or is inexpensive to manufacture.